News: British television presenter Kevin McCloud's design-led housing development firm has broken the world record for equity crowdfunding by securing investments in excess of £1.9 million from members of the public via online platform Crowdcube.

It is the largest amount of money raised using an online equity crowdfunding platform, where people fund a business in return for a share in the company. This differs from more well-known forms of crowdfunding like Kickstarter, where a community of people donate money online to back individual projects in return for prizes or products.

Fearn - Four bedroom home, Applewood

Almost 650 individuals invested amounts ranging from £100 to £150,000 each and now own a combined share of 25.39 per cent of the equity in the business. The money will be used to fund the expansion of the business in the custom-build housing market. HAB hopes to offer investors a five per cent dividend by the end of 2016, but investors have also been offered preferential terms on a HAB custom-build home, invitations to project visits and events with McCloud.

HAB's investment was raised over 13 weeks via crowdfunding equity website Crowdcube, who themselves raised £1.5 million in May to fund their own business.

Ellison - Three bedroom home, Applewood

Hab, which stands for Happiness Architecture Beauty, was founded in 2007 with the aim of building well-designed, affordable and environmentally-friendly housing.

Related movie:

Architect Alison Brooks talks about how residents come together in the streets of her firm's Be housing project in Essex, UK, in this movie produced by Living Projects.
Watch a larger version of this movie »

Good on, Kevin. Anything that can put a bit of architecture into the social classes should be applauded. The homes above show how limiting a small budget can be, despite the celebrity status of the builder and limitless design input.